Improvement in machines for labeling fruit-cans



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J. HINKLEY.

MACHINES FUR LABELING FRUIT-CANS.- NO.

Patented Aug. 22,1876.

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Patented Aug. 22, 1876..

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s Sheets-Shet 3 1. HINKLEY. MACHINES FOR LABELING FRTJIT-CANS..- No. 181,340.

Patented Aug.22,1876.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES HINKLEY, 0F ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES F OR LABELING FRUIT-CANS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 181,340, dated August 22, 1876; application filed June 5; 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES HINKLEY, of Rockford, in the county of Winnebago and State of Illinois, have invented certainnew and usefullmprovements in Machines for Pasting or Affixing Labels to Fruit-Cans and other cylindrical vessels or bodies; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. a

My improvements consist in a special and novel construction of devices for affixing or pasting labels to cylindrical objects, such as fruit or other cans or boxes, the can being actuated bymeans of a reciprocating slide, which bears down upon. its upper surface, and the movements of the slide serving to roll the can forward, and also to actuate the pastingbrushes and other mechanism, all as hereinafter more particularly described.

In the drawings, which illustrate a machine embodying my invention, Figure l is a perspective view; Fig. 2, a side elevation, partly in section Fig. 3, the label-box in detail view Figs. 4, 5, and 6, detail views.

Upon any appropriate frame or-table, A, is supported a horizontal guidewayor trough, B, provided with a sliding or reciprocating piece or cover, G, having longitudinal grooves c on its under side, adapting it to be slidden forward and backward upon the edges of the sides of the trough. This slide Q may be worked by hand by means of handle d, (shown in dotted lines,) or bymeans of a treadle or other means or power applied to the shaft E of the band-wheel F, the band of which is secured tothe wheel, and also tothe ends of the slide. be moved forward by the slide over the pile of labels H, placed in the box I, whose movable bottom or platen J is automatically lifted to a height equal to the thickness of a single 1abel, after each label, successively, has, as hereinafter stated, been applied to a can. This platen is raised-by its post K, whose lower end is screw-threaded, and .provided with a Gr represents a can in position to.

split nut, I, mounted on a toothed or ratchet wheel M, which is actuated by a spring-pawllever, N, this lever being operated through the agency of a pin or projection, 0, onthe slide 0, as it moves backward, the pin forcing back the rod 1), which is connected to the lever N by a connecting-rod, q. The same backward movement of the slide 0 and rod 1) also carries backward the link or rod g, which connects with a crank or arm, 1', on a geared rock-shaft, 8, provided with a reacting-spring,

s, the gear t of which shaft engages with the gear at of a small rock-shaft, c, which carries a tipping-pan, cu, which is located between the trough and the paste-box or cup av, and

.serves, in connection with the cross-bar 3 on as a pivoted lever, Z, these two parts being i adapted to be held in engagementwith the a thread or post K by means of a notched lock- 1 ing-lever, l. The release of this lever from the levers Z t allows thenut to open, and the rod K and platen to drop, or to be adjusted to any required position.

- The rod after being released from the ac- 1 tion of the pin 0, is returned to its former position by a reacting-spring, 1, operating upon lever M and link q,'and' thenrests until again forced backward bythe backward movement 1 of slide 0. Instead of the spring 8', a cord and weight may be employed.

A sliding brush-carriage, 3, is placed at the side of the machine, andopposite the label- 7 box I, and it carries two brushes, 4 5,' each supported on a vertically-movable rod or arm,

6, the duty or function of each of these brushes being to dip into its respective paste-cup 00; then to move forward toward the top' labelin 4 the label-box I, and to move across the -label at its end, and to paste such end crosswise,

thus leaving the body of the label free from paste, except at and near its ends. These pe-' culiar movements are effected asfollow'sz-Oi'h the slide 0 is alateral pin -or projection, 8,

which, at the proper stage, andafte'r a pasted label has been affixed to the can, (and the lat J tercarried forward by the slide beyond thelabel-box and pile of labels contained therein, and discharged, or ready for discharge, through the opening 9,) comes in contact with andoperates a spring-lever, 10, which, by means of link 10*, rock-lever 11, and link 11*, causes the brush-carriage 3 to move inward. When the can has reached the end of the label-box, and the pin 8 strikes the spring-lever 10, it carries this lever back until the paste'brushes have reached the farther edge of the label. At

thisstage the pin passes over and beyond the lever, bending it down and riding over it, and its own resilience causes it to react or spring back alittle, so that when the slideOis moved back again after a can is discharged the pin, on its return movement, again strikes the lever, (but on its opposite side,)and the continued back movement of the slide operates the lever until the paste-brushes are drawn out, and permitted to drop into their respective paste boxes or dishes, when the pin again rides over the spring-lever and releases it, and it again springs up toits normal. position, as before described, readyIfor arepetition of these movements upon another reciprocation of the slide. The inward movement of the brush-carriage causes the arms 6 6 to move forward, appropriate bends or crooksin the arms serving as cams to lift them at a the proper jnnctures, in order thatthe brushes may take up the paste, and rise and pass over the tipping-pan w, and then, dropping :again by gravity, distribute the paste in a'path across the end of the paper. The arms 6 6rest and ride on fixed studs or guide-posts 12, which may be provided with friction-rollers.

The label-box I rests on springs directly, as shown, or on cross bars which rest upon springs, and in either case it is supported by side bars 13; and this construction allows the box to be tilted at its ends by the weight of the can upon the sides of the box. As the can rests upon and rolls over the box its weight is sustained mainly by the box, and it' presses but slightly on the labels.

The object of the springs is to lift the top edges of the label-box very slightly above the top surface of the pile of labels, and thus to aid in keeping them to place, but in no wise to obstruct .the operation of taking up and sarrying away the top labelas it is rolledupn and affixed to the can, which is rolled over it by the sliding cover, this cover, by the way, .u order to insure a good and efficient fric tional action uponthe can, being provided on Lts under side witha'cloth, rubber, felt, or )ther covering, or strips of any desired thickaess.

The action of these springs andof the box Es'asj follows, viz: When an unlabeled can is placed in position for labeling, the rear part at each end bears against-a side bracket, and its axiswillthen be at right angles to the sides of trough B andthe paper," and it is- ;hen rolled forward by slide 0, and with a ifindency, in caseof need, to press the labels slightly forward against the forward end of the box,- which still remains slightly raised little way, the cross-bar yis forced down upon the rear end of the pile of labels and clamps them, helping to hold them in place when the other end of the box is forced down by the weight of the can as it rolls over it.

By this arrangement the can moves forward on firm bearings, to wit, the upper edges of the sides of thebox. o

i a When the can is placed in the form or trough B, the upper label being previously pasted across its ends, as above described, it adheres to the can as the latter is rolled over it, and

both are carried forward by theslide C, the

label coming between the slide and the can,

and thereby being smoothly laid and evenly pressed over the surface or periphery of the can. a t a a In order to insure a truealignment or ad:

justment of the label-box, I provide an adjusting-gage,16, wherebythe box may at will beplaced at right angles, to theaxis of the can, or otherwise;

Theavailable width of the box may be varied at will tosuit cans of difl'erent lengths i bymeans of rods17, p'rovided at their respective ends with a right-hand and a lefta hand screw-thread, The turning of these rods,

by means of their handles or thumb-pieces,- moves the sides of the box nearer to or farther from each other.

18, suspended on springs 19.

brackets by its own weight.

' A can shouldrevolve one and a half time I to receive the most eihcient action/while being labeled. Thisinsures that the pasted ends of the encompassing label shall receive the pressure of the sliding cover 0 directly upon them, in addition to the pressure they 1 will have already received at the time when l the can first rolled upon them and took them up. The action of the slide, beyond the complete revolution of the can, serves to wrap the label more tightly and snugly on the canin fact, detaching and repasting the last end of the label takenup, as the pressure of the slide bears upon it. 1

Another most important feature of my in- 4 vention is that its construction adapts it for double action-that is, .to apply a label to a 4 can, and to discharge it at the forward movement of the slide 0, and to apply another label toanother can and to discharge it by the backward movement of thesame slide; To effect this, the trough B, it will be observed, is made of sufficient length, and at both sides of its center its mechanism needs but to be duplicated, the same slideG actu- 1 ating both sets of similar mechanism. It is unnecessary to illustrate fully, in duplicate, the same mechanism; but both sets occupy substantially the-same position, relatively, on each side of the center of the trongheach set feeding the can alike from the center to the discharging end. The pasting devices for both sets are, for convenience, placed on the same side of the frame or table. Thus double work may be done within the same time that a single machine could be operated.

The machine may be operated either by a trcadle or by any other power which shall impart the proper motion to the band-wheel F;

but, when desired, such wheel and band may be dispensed with, and the slide Omay be operated by hand by means of the handle 20.

If desired,-the feeding rod or lever 10 and the brush-operating lever 10 may be operated without moving the slide 0. The operator stands on that side of the machine which is opposite the pasting devices, and the cans are placed by him in the machine, when it is worked by hand or treadle. A boy or girl can readily do this work.

When pasting and discharging at both ends of the machine, the attendant may stand at the center of machine and supply both sets of cans; or two attendants may be employed, and each supply those which are to be discharged at his end.

The brush-operating devices for both sets of labels are placed on the same side of the machine, so as to be out of the way of the operator. The same slide 0, however, actuates both in precisely the same manner, and when the pulley and cord are employed to drive the slide, the pulley and its shaft should, of course, be located midway between the two sets of mechanism.

The tipping pan or pans w is raised out of the way of the can at the proper periods by the action of the rock-shaft c.

Fig. 7 illustrates the connections in a double machine on the pasting side, and the positions of the slide 0, spring-levers, and pastecarriages when a can is fully labeled. Fig. 8 shows the opposite side, with the slide moved back to the point where'the pin 8 strikes the spring-lever 10. In these figures, lever 10 is located nearerto the end of the machine than in the other figures.

I claim- 1. In a labeling-machine, the combination with a can-holder, and with label-pasting devices, substantially as described, of a reciprocating slide, 0, operating to bear upon and. roll the can or box forward through the machine.

2. In a labeling-machine, a reciprocating ward movement, of a guideway or trough, B,

constructed to receive cans, and to discharge them at both of its ends, or in opposite directions, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the slide 0, and its pin 0, of the label-lifting platen J, and intermediate devices, substantially as described, serving to lift the platen intermittently by the action of the pin 0 upon the rod or lever p, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination, with slide 0, and its pin 0, of the rocking gear-shaft s, and its spring, the rocking-shaft 'v, and tipping-pan w, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. The combination, with slide (3, and its pin 0, of the rocking-shaft s, and its clamping cross-bar y, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination, with the slide 0, and its pin 8, of the spring-lever 10, link 10*, rocklever 11, link 11*, and reciprocating brushcarriage 3, substantially as and for the purpose described.

8. The combination, with the reciprocating brush-carriage 3, of the bent lever-arms 6, the guide-posts 12, paste-cups a, and tippingpans w, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In combination with the trough or canholder B the side bars 18, each suspended on yielding supports or springs 19, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

10. In combination with the label-box I, the adjusting device 16, substantially 'as and for the purpose set forth.

11. In combination with the label-box I, the adjusting-rods 17 17, provided with right and left screw-threads, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

12. In combination, the platen J, its threaded rod or post K, gear M, lever N, and its reacting-spring 1, link q, rod 1), and slide 0, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES HINKLEY.

Witnesses J OHN M. BUELL, J. O. HARKNESS. 

